NIPS & PIECES: ComplexCon Day 2 with 2Chainz, Migos, and Murakami

We closed out Day 2 at ComplexCon with all access wristbands and a close encounter with 2Chainz and his frenchie backstage at the Long Beach Convention Center. More mellow than the first day, a still strong crowd of attendees came out to experience the second day of the fashion, music, and art congregation of brand activations and special music performances. Kamaiyah, Metro Boomin, Virgil Abloh and a few others performed on the Pigeons and Planes stage before the headlining concert later in the evening with Migos, 2Chainz, and Snoop Dogg.

We revisited the DABS MYLO art installation in collaboration with Modernica and caught a quick glimpse of Edison Chen at his CLOT booth. Surveying Patrick Martinez’s artwork for a second time, we later visited Monique and Mo at their Apt 4B installation, and Arsen at his Hall of Fame X Reebok photo series by Atiba Jefferson. (Jefferson’s portraits with Allen Iverson from an article for SLAM were framed and on display.) Somewhere in-between we managed to catch an oh-so quick encounter with Murakami himself (surrounded by security) as well as a camouflaged Pharrell who was escorted from the expo to the upstairs speaker panel for his last Complex ConVersations discussion.

Leslie and I had all access after the closing of the day expo where we moseyed past Kamaiyah and her entourage in the backstage area only to stumble upon Migos standing outside in the backlot waiting to perform. After they were escorted inside, we almost didn’t notice 2Chainz (walking separately from his frenchie dog and its handler) right behind. 2Chainz was quick to come to the defense of his tour photographer who was mistakenly kicked off stage unbeknownst to the security team of his direct affiliation with the rapper.

More subdued than the first day (and with most of the exclusive merchandise at ComplexCon sold out from Saturday’s turnout), Sunday wrapped the two-day confab with a very satisfied (and exhausted) crowd.